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Emergency Planning Officer to be redeployed to police

Fri, 15 Jul 2011

MHK John Houghton believes Island's emergency planning should be carried out from within the Chief Secretary's Office and not by police

An MHK has failed in his attempt to stop the Island's Emergency Planning Officer's role being redeployed to the police.

MHK John Houghton tabled a motion in Tynwald asking for the job to be attached to the Chief Secretary's Office, but still be based at the Department of Home Affairs building with the Civil Defence Unit.

Mr Houghton thinks the job needs to be held by a civilian who can independently advise government.

He believes policing issues would take priority when it moves to police and says it goes against how emergency planning is handled in the UK.

Home Affairs Minister Adrian Earnshaw says emergency planning should stay within his department and that the police would be the best organisation to do it.[play audio file below]